Emergency medical services (EMS) personnel must obtain and maintain various certifications in order to work in their profession and treat patients. To become certified or maintain certification, EMS personnel must take and pass standardized written and practical tests. The standards adhered to by these tests are specified by organizations such as the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT).
The tests include an evaluation of a candidate's skill in conducting patient assessment and making appropriate treatment decision using standardized protocols for medical, trauma, and cardiac patient problems. The evaluations are conducted by an instructor using a set of standardized skill sheets that specify the protocol order and points possible for each action or decision on the skill sheet.
FIG. 1 shows an exemplary prior art medical skill sheet used by an instructor. As shown, the skill sheet is very comprehensive and comprises line items for areas such as “SCENE SIZE-UP” 10, “INITIAL ASSESSMENT” 20, “FOCUSED HISTORY AND PHYSICAL EXAMINATION/RAPID ASSESSMENT” 30, “ON-GOING ASSESSMENT” 40, and “CRITICAL CRITERIA” 42. All line items, such as line item 70, “Determines responsiveness/level of consciousness” have a “Possible Points” 50 and a “Points Awarded” 60 for scoring the candidate.
During a test, the instructor presents the candidate with a scenario. The scenario is described by the instructor, and also may include actors acting out the scenario. The candidate must articulate their decision and actions, sometimes physically demonstrating various actions. For example, depending on the scenario, a candidate may need to open a patient's airway with a head-tilt-chin-lift motion. As the candidate describes and performs the actions, the instructor uses the appropriate skill sheet to check-off and score the student on each line item.
The skill sheets are one of the most difficult items for a candidate to master since they integrate many aspects of classroom and book learning. The best way for a candidate to prepare for a skill sheet test and improve their proficiency is though practice and repetition. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to arrange for practice tests since a qualified and objective instructor is required to conduct the drill and allow the candidate to repeat the drill a multiple number of times. Additionally, actors may be necessary, further complicating the situation. Furthermore, while the instructors should ideally be objective and follow the protocols precisely, oftentimes they are not or cannot be due to fatigue, level of experience, personal feeling towards the candidate, and the like.
Thus a need presently exists for a method and system for generating a skill sheet in a consistent and objective manner, and without the limitations of the prior art.